Both hospitals would have midwife-led maternity clinics, day case surgery and outpatient services.

But a presentation delivered to professionals, volunteers and politicians at an invite-only meeting on Friday gave no detail of the location of these services.

It said: “The clinical model does not indicate a preferred site for services; it is based on clinical evidence and not location.”

But the presentation added: “It does show which services should be located together.”

Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax (Image: crh stock)

A spokesperson for both CCGs said: “We need to maintain high quality, safe local health services that meet current needs and are sustainable into the future.

“Things can’t stay the same because advances in medicine are changing the way we treat illness and injury, demand for services is increasing, for example as a result of a growing and aging population, people’s expectations of healthcare are changing and in some cases increasing, the need to provide care 24/7, people want as much care delivered close to home as possible, the cost of healthcare is increasing. There are a range of national and local workforce challenges. Both providers and commissioners face tough financial challenges over the coming years.

“We also have a duty to ensure that we use NHS resources efficiently, that our plans deliver high quality and safe care for all and meet key national standards and that they reflect national guidance and available evidence.”